Keema matar is Indian home cooking at its most practical, ground lamb browned with onion, ginger, garlic, tomatoes, and a set of warm spices (cumin, coriander, turmeric, garam masala, chili), with green peas folded in at the end. The whole thing is done in about 45 minutes.
The trick is browning the lamb properly before adding the liquid, break it up fine and let it cook undisturbed until it actually browns, not just turns grey. The tomatoes go in next and cook down to a thick paste before any water is added. Serve it over basmati rice with yogurt on the side.
How To Make Keema Matar – Indian Ground Lamb with Peas
Building the Aromatic Base
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the diced onion and cook for seven minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden brown. This step builds the foundation of the dish. 
Add the minced garlic and grated ginger and cook for one more minute until fragrant. The aromatics should smell sharp and appetizing but not burned.
Browning the Lamb and Adding Spices
Add the ground lamb to the skillet. Use a wooden spoon to break it into very fine crumbles as it cooks.
Continue cooking for about eight minutes until the lamb is well browned and no longer pink. The meat should be broken into small, uniform pieces.
Add the chopped tomatoes and cook for four minutes, stirring frequently, until they break down into a thick paste.
Stir in the coriander, cumin, garam masala, turmeric, cayenne, and salt. Cook for one minute until the spices are fragrant and evenly distributed.
Simmering and Finishing
Add the water and bring to a simmer.
Cover and cook for fifteen minutes until the flavors meld and the sauce thickens.
Stir in the frozen peas and cook uncovered for five minutes until the peas are heated through and the mixture is relatively dry.
The finished keema should be thick, not soupy. Finish with a squeeze of lemon juice and chopped fresh cilantro. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.
Keema Matar (Ground Lamb with Peas)
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Description
Keema matar is the Indian ground meat curry that hits the table faster than almost any other — spiced lamb mince with sweet green peas in a deeply savory tomato sauce. It is the kind of unpretentious weeknight dinner that Indian families have been making for generations, and it is better than most things that take three times as long to cook.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs ground lamb
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 large yellow onion, finely diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
- 2 medium tomatoes, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon ground coriander
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook 7 minutes until golden. Add the garlic and ginger and cook 1 minute.
- Add the ground lamb and cook, breaking it into fine crumbles with a wooden spoon, until browned and no longer pink, about 8 minutes.
- Add the tomatoes and cook 4 minutes until they break down into a paste. Stir in the coriander, cumin, garam masala, turmeric, cayenne, and salt. Cook 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add the water, stir, and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook 15 minutes until the flavors meld and the sauce thickens.
- Stir in the frozen peas and cook uncovered for 5 minutes until the peas are heated through and the mixture is relatively dry.
- Finish with lemon juice and cilantro. Serve with roti, naan, or steamed rice.
Notes
- Break the lamb into very fine crumbles as it cooks — keema should have a mince-like texture, not large chunks.
- The dish should be fairly dry when finished, more like a thick ragù than a soupy curry. Let it cook uncovered at the end to reduce excess liquid.
- Ground beef works as a substitute, but lamb gives the dish its characteristic richness and pairs better with the warm spices.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Indian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 5
- Sodium: 710
- Fat: 28
- Carbohydrates: 14
- Fiber: 4
- Protein: 30
- Cholesterol: 95
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I ensure the ground lamb is properly browned?
Make sure to break the lamb into very fine crumbles and cook it undisturbed for about eight minutes until it turns a deep brown color, rather than just turning grey.
What should I do if my tomatoes don’t break down into a thick paste?
Continue cooking the chopped tomatoes for a few more minutes, stirring frequently, to allow them to release their juices and thicken properly.
Can I adjust the spice levels in the keema matar?
Yes, you can adjust the amount of cayenne pepper and garam masala to suit your heat preference while ensuring you still maintain a balance with the other spices.
Breaking the lamb into fine crumbles in a dry pan gave me the texture my mother’s keema has. I cooked the tomatoes until the oil pooled at the edges, which is the step I’d skipped on past tries. Peas went in frozen at the very end and kept their pop.
ghee over oil on the onions, HUGE difference.
I found this way too greasy. Even after draining the lamb there was a lot of oil sitting on top. Maybe it’s the lamb I used but I had to keep blotting it with paper towels. Flavor was fine but the texture put me off.
Sorry to hear that Tanya, if you try again, perhaps some lean ground beef could be a better choice for you.
I had the same grease issue, Tanya. What fixed it for me was starting the lamb in a dry pan to render its fat first, then pouring off most of it before adding the onions back in with the spices. Gamier lamb can also be a culprit. A pass with a spoon after the tomatoes go in catches what’s left.
Used ground beef because thats what I had. Still good.
That’s absolutely acceptable, and as long as you liked it!
Never cooked Indian food before and this turned out surprisingly well! Waiting for the oil to separate felt like it took forever (maybe 20 min?) but the flavor was worth the patience.
Glad to hear that Molly!
This is close to how my mom makes it. One suggestion — try adding a bit of kasuri methi at the end, it gives that restaurant smell. Also I use goat keema instead of lamb when I can find it.
That’s a great suggestion!